FWCS students scare up Fall fun

Students throughout Fort Wayne Community Schools will celebrate the Fall harvest and Halloween this week with a variety of activities, including food drives for community food banks, hosting neighborhood parties for children and using candy to practice math skills. Below are a few of the fun and educational events going on this week.
Wednesday, Oct. 26
• The Student Council and National Honor Society at North Side High School, 475 E. State Blvd., are hosting a Halloween Party for children in the neighborhood and from its feeder schools. From 5-7 p.m., elementary school-age children and their families are invited to play games and participate in a costume contest. Admission cost is one non-perishable food item.
Thursday, Oct. 27
• Portage Middle School, 3521 Taylor St., is hosting a Halloween Dance for students after school.
• The Student Council at Wayne High School, 9100 Winchester Road, is hosting a Halloween Party for children in the neighborhood and from its feeder schools. From 5-7 p.m., elementary school-age children and their families are invited to wear their costumes for a fun evening including games and candy.
Friday, Oct. 28
• Second-grade students at Irwin Elementary, 3501 S. Anthony Blvd., will sharpen their math skills using candy. From 10:30-11:40 a.m. students will challenge themselves as they work at four different math stations using their measuring, estimating, money counting and graphing skills. When the hard work is done, the candy will be theirs to keep.
• At Croninger Elementary, 6700 Trier Road, classes will have fall harvest parties from 2:15-3 p.m. Treats and activities will be set up in each room to celebrate autumn.
• Classes at Arlington Elementary, 8118 St. Joe Center Road, will have harvest parties from 2:45-3:15 p.m. From 6-8 p.m., families are invited to the Mambo Bash, a fall carnival with candy prizes. Costumes are optional.
• Classes at Harrison Hill Elementary, 355 Cornell Circle, will have fall harvest parties in the afternoon. Students are invited to dress up as storybook character if they have a copy of the book from which their character comes and can share why that character is their favorite.
• Lane Middle School, 4901 Vance Ave., will have a fall dance after school to kick off the school's food drive benefitting Community Harvest Bank. If the students reach a goal of 500 food items, Principal Mark Bailey will get a pie in the face at a later date.
• Students at Nebraska Elementary School, 1525 Boone St., are invited to a carnival from 5-7 p.m. Students are invited to dress in costumes and play games.
• The PTA at Shambaugh Elementary School, 5320 Rebecca Drive, will sponsor a Harvest Festival from 6-8 p.m. The event will include a bonfire, carnival and food. The school will also be collecting food items to be used to assist families in need during the holiday season.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.